This invention relates to multi-media recording, processing and playback of audio signals. More particularly, this invention relates to reproducing stored audio signals in a manner such that the reproduced signals sound as if the stored audio signals had been recorded in a particular acoustic environment.
An acoustic environment is the culmination of anything that may affect the production, propagation or reverberation of an audio signal. More particularly, the acoustic environment is how sound waves interact with the surroundings.
Audio signal recording, processing and playback techniques have traditionally been utilized to capture and playback sound. Audio signal recording techniques involve creating both representative and storage signals, which may be of different domains (e.g., mechanical, optical, electrical, etc.) than the original analog sound signals. For example, the audio signals may be converted into representative signals of electrical pulses, which may then be converted into storage signals such as the physical grooves in a vinyl record or the optical grooves in a compact disc (CD). The translation from the audio domain to a storage domain usually requires that the audio signals are processed by various audio, mechanical and/or electrical equipment (e.g., such as a microphone, audio mixer, digitizer, CD burner, etc.).
In some instances, a microphone or other transducer may be used to convert the audio signals into representative signals. The representative signals may be further processed by a sound mixer and/or stored by a CD burner to a CD. The stored signals may be further processed and/or played back from the stored form.
Audio, representative and storage signals are often processed by various types of equipment. The processing of the signals may result in improvements in the fidelity and accuracy of the sound compared to how the audio signals originally sounded. Current sound processing techniques, however, do not permit an audio signal recorded in one acoustic environment to be played back to sound as if it was originally recorded in one or more user-selectable other acoustic environments.
High quality sound stereo systems enable a user to experience the finest quality of sound from the comfort of their home. However, even the most advanced or expensive sound systems do not currently allow users to experience audio performances that sound, for example, “live,” unless the original recording was a “live” recording (versus a studio recording). This is because even the most advanced and expensive systems are limited to playing back the audio signals that were recorded with minor, uncoordinated modifications (such as adjusting bass or treble).
For example, a person might have a recording of the songs from The Phantom of the Opera on CD or own a copy of The Phantom of the Opera on DVD (theatrically released in December of 2004). The audio of the CD or DVD will likely not sound the same in a user's home as the songs sounded when they are performed live in the Majestic Theater in New York City. One of the reasons for this is because sounds on CDs and DVDs are generally recorded in a recording studio (or other acoustically controlled environment). Each time a listener wants to hear how The Phantom of the Opera sounds live, the listener must purchase a ticket and attend a performance, regardless of their current home entertainment system (unless a “live” recording was made in the Majestic Theater).
Some home entertainment systems may provide a user with a more advanced ability to alter the audio signals, such as surround sound or through an equalizer, but even this added capability does not permit a user to hear the sound as it would have been influenced by the acoustic environment during a “live” performance.
Moreover, even “live” performances may not necessarily sound “live” when played back from a CD or DVD. This is because even when audio signals are recorded live (i.e., not in a recording studio) the signals are generally captured at the source of audio signals (e.g., near a speaker placed directly in front of the performer), which may prevent the audio signals from being affected by the acoustic environment of the venue.
In addition, even when the audio signals are allowed to be influenced by the acoustics of a venue, the audio signals recorded are still limited to the acoustic environment of the location of the sound capturing device (e.g., microphone). For example, a live recording of the Broadway Musical The Phantom of the Opera in the Majestic Theater may differ depending where the recording transducer is located. When the recording apparatus is located in the balcony, the recorded audio signals will likely be influenced by a different acoustic environment than if the recording apparatus is located center stage. The prior art simply does not account for these differences in acoustic environments.
Another deficiency with known recordings of audio signals is the requirement that the origin of the audio signal or signals has to be present in the acoustic environment with the sound capturing device to capture how that acoustic environment influences the sound. For example, if the late Johnny Cash never performed in the Majestic Theater, then it would be impossible to hear a Johnny Cash recording played back as it would have sounded “live” at the Majestic Theater.
Along those same lines, if somebody always wanted to hear what they would sound like singing the National Anthem at Yankee Stadium, they would have had to have a recording made of them actually singing at Yankee Stadium. The user is unable to select different audio signals to be altered by user selected acoustic environments. These limitations currently exist regardless of the complexity or superiority of a user's home entertainment system (e.g., surround sound, Dolby digital, quadraphonic, and virtual sound imaging systems, to list a few).
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of this invention to provide methods, systems and computer readable media to record, process and playback recreated acoustic signals as though the signals were influenced by one or more acoustic environments.